


quit to desktop

by Feenie



Category: OneShot (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Gender-Neutral Niko, Gender-Neutral Player, POV Second Person, Spoilers, Time Loop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:48:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22589662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feenie/pseuds/Feenie
Summary: How many times have you been through this?It doesn't matter.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 47





	quit to desktop

**Author's Note:**

> hey it's a oneshot one shot! i wrote this forever ago and can't believe i never published it
> 
> edit 2/9/2020: corrected several places where i referred to niko as he and not they, oops

[I know what you’re doing.]

[We’ve been through this several times already, haven’t we?]

[How many more times are you going to do this?]

You try to ignore the Entity’s biting words and guide Niko through a labyrinth of doors and pathways. Even if what the Entity was saying was right, what did it matter?

[You keep undoing everything just for more time with Niko.]

[You keep ripping them away from their loving mother and village.]

[You keep alternating between destroying the sun and restoring it.]

You chose to click through the Entity’s messages, rolling your eyes. Whatever, this was just another cycle, what did it matter?

[Why?]

[Do you really think you’ll ever be able to save this world and send Niko home?]

You faltered when the Entity brought that up, Niko stumbling to a stop and looking around. You were almost there to that house again, where you’d choose the world’s fate again. You didn’t move them for several moments, staring down at your hands. When you looked up again, the Entity kept talking.

[It’s hopeless. It’s best for everyone if you let this world die and sent Niko home.]

You balled your hands into fists, and you stubbornly shook your head. There had to be something, anything to let everyone be happy. You weren’t going to stop until you figured it out. You resumed guiding Niko to the tower’s summit, trying to ignore the Entity.

Niko was happy as usual to hear your voice when you resumed contact and reunited them with the sun. You couldn’t help but smile, relieved to see they could contact you again.

As you approached the last hallway, the Entity spoke again.

[STOP]

Without warning, the window closed. You sat there for a moment, caught off-guard, before opening the window again. Niko looked at you with wide eyes, holding the sun close to their chest.

“Everything went dark...”

You rested your hand on the screen. Hang in there, Niko, you’re almost home...

A few steps in, the Entity snapped at you again.

[GIVE UP ALREADY]

The window closed, and you stubbornly brought it back with clenched teeth. This was new, but like hell you were going to let this stand between you and Niko.

[IT’S HOPELESS]

[NO ONE IS HAPPY WITH THIS]

[YOU’RE A CRUEL GOD]

[LET IT END]

Entity closed the window, you brought it back. Closed window, brought it back, closed window, brought it back...the cycle went on what felt like forever. At last, Niko reached the end of the hallway, quaking in their boots.

“Wh...What’s going on?”

You didn’t know what to say. This cycle had been different enough as is with the Entity noting how many times you had done this before, and snarking at you over it, but...

[fine]

You braced yourself for the window to close again, but it didn’t. The screen stayed paused, before the Entity spoke once more.

[do what you want]

[i give up]

[just stop torturing niko like this]

[niko deserves better than you]

The world resumed, and the last message hung in your head as Niko stepped into the elevator. They sat down against a wall, holding the sun tight. For a long time, neither of you spoke.

‘...Niko.’

Niko looked up, tilting their head.

‘When you get to the top...’

‘Smash the bulb.’

Niko gasped, eyes widening. “But...that’ll destroy the sun! Why...”

‘It’s the only way to return you home.’

You hesitated for a moment. ‘I’ll just create a new sun.’

“You...You can do that?”

‘Yes. This world will be fine. Just focus on going home.’

Niko didn’t seem entirely convinced, even as they went to smash the bulb. You held your head in your hands.

Niko deserved better than you.


End file.
